By Sarah Moskowitz CUB Executive Director Hundreds of customers of Illinois’ largest private water utility packed an Illinois Commerce Commission public forum in Bolingbrook one recent summer night. They were fed up with how high their bills are now — and that Illinois American Water wanted to raise them by nearly…...
News release: Bipartisan group of lawmakers join with CUB to oppose water rate hikes, call for legislative reforms
As frustration mounts among 1.5 million private water customers in Illinois, state legislators from both sides of the political aisle joined the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) on Wednesday to urge state regulators to reject rate hikes proposed by Illinois American Water and Aqua Illinois, call on the General Assembly to…...
CUB challenges water rate hikes in 2024: Help us fight them!
Illinois consumers face two new water rate hikes in 2024. Here’s how you can get involved. Aqua Illinois Rate Hike (ICC Docket # 24-0044) Aqua Illinois on Jan. 17 filed for a $19.2 million rate hike before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). For the average residential wastewater and water bill (4,000 gallons),…...
Casework roundup: In 40th year, CUB fights old and new rate hikes
CUB’s 40th anniversary is turning out to be another tough year, as we fight old and new rate hikes. Major electric and gas utilities were not pleased with Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) rulings issued late last year–and all of them launched legal challenges to the decisions. Plus we’ve got breaking…...
Q&A on ICC gas rulings and how they impact customers
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued separate rulings in November that reduced record rate hikes proposed by Illinois’ major gas utilities by $240 million, while also blocking most spending on a controversial pipeline-replacement program that has fueled a heating-affordability crisis for consumers in recent years. The ICC rulings also ordered…...
Q&A on ICC electric rulings and how they impact customers
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) on Dec. 14 issued a series of orders that significantly reduced the record rate hikes Commonwealth Edison and Ameren Illinois wanted while also rejecting their plans to upgrade the power grid, ruling that they violated several provisions of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). …...
CUB applauds ICC for standing up for ComEd, Ameren customers, holding utilities accountable in unprecedented regulatory rulings
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) on Thursday ruled on record ComEd and Ameren Illinois electric rate-hike requests. In the rulings, the ICC rejected the multi-year grid plans proposed by Ameren and ComEd for lacking any proof of their affordability, slashed the excessive shareholder profit rates pushed by the companies and…...
CUB applauds regulators for rejecting Peoples Gas “theatrics,” as ICC opposes latest bid to additional rate hike
The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) Thursday unanimously derailed a request by Peoples Gas to claw back $134 million of disallowed funding for its pipeline-replacement program in 2024. If approved, the motion would have added about $8 million to the record $300 million rate hike the utility received last month. Peoples Gas executives threatened…...
CUB calls on ICC to reject record rate hike for Peoples Gas after agency official recommends big increase for utility
An administrative law judge for the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has issued a “proposed order” recommending that the ICC approve a record-high $350 million rate hike for Peoples Gas, awarding the company the vast bulk — 87 percent —of the $402 million increase it has sought from regulators. The recommended…...
